I can remember visiting a place in California called "Lake Isobella", if I remember correctly, my father wanted to do a spot of fishing there so we pulled into a KOA nearby. At this point I had a 37ft bounder class 'A' rented from El Monte and all had gone well thus far, we left the CG on the instructions given and started back towards The West Coast, everything was fine and dandy for about 15 miles or so, nice good dual lane highway, then doom came to call, a sign marked "Vehicles over 30ft not recommended", hmmm, well whats another 7 ft or so eh?. We carried on and I was then faced with trying to get this monster RV down 16 miles or so of hairpin bends with a nasty drop over the side, also local drivers were right up my ass pushing me on the whole time and the pull outs were way to small to get the RV into. Took over an hour to get down, my dad spent most of it sat on the toilet I think and I had to peel my fingers of the steering wheel and eyeballs off the windshield when finally down. The funny thing was, a week later I returned the RV to the depot and one of the employees there INSISTED he drove it round to the unload area, which he did and promptly pranged into a wall!!!! All the miles I did and all the bad roads that bus had been on over the last few weeks and some idiot drove it 50 yards and crashed it!!!
QUOTE(dementinator @ Oct 20 2008, 06:20 AM) [snapback]13596[/snapback] At this point I had a 37ft bounder class 'A' rented from El Monte and all had gone well thus far, we left the CG on the instructions given and started back towards The West Coast, everything was fine and dandy for about 15 miles or so, nice good dual lane highway, then doom came to call, a sign marked "Vehicles over 30ft not recommended", hmmm, well whats another 7 ft or so eh?. We carried on and I was then faced with trying to get this monster RV down 16 miles or so of hairpin bends with a nasty drop over the side, also local drivers were right up my ass pushing me on the whole time and the pull outs were way to small to get the RV into. Took over an hour to get down, my dad spent most of it sat on the toilet I think and I had to peel my fingers of the steering wheel and eyeballs off the windshield when finally down. Sorry about getting the RV crashed, but not your fault. Sounds like you tried to go to the same place in Oregon that I tried to go to, I had a rental car, and sign said, "no vehicles over TWENTY FIVE feet." Hairpins corners like crazy and no place to pull off! JJ
QUOTE(dementinator @ Oct 20 2008, 06:20 AM) [snapback]13596[/snapback] ...Took over an hour to get down, my dad spent most of it sat on the toilet I think and I had to peel my fingers of the steering wheel and eyeballs off the windshield when finally down.... I am laughing myself sick... :blink: Welcome Dementintor, to the wonderful world of RVing!!! As the passenger...I TOTALLY understand your dad. Have been known to kiss the ground when we reached a destination. THEN there was the time I was at the wheel, and the brakes took a holiday...on a looooong downhill around Cedar Breaks, Utah. I swear angels guided us to a level place to pull off so the breaks could cool and my stomach relocate!
QUOTE(FosterImposters @ Oct 20 2008, 10:21 PM) [snapback]13600[/snapback] THEN there was the time I was at the wheel, and the brakes took a holiday...on a looooong downhill around Cedar Breaks, Utah. I swear angels guided us to a level place to pull off so the breaks could cool and my stomach relocate! That's why Western states, with the mountains in them, and steep graded roads, often have the "truck escapes" off some of those steep grades. It's for those situations. Sometimes I have taken one in a car just for kicks. Haven't tried one in an RV, hope I don't have to. JJ
I have two. One was in Arizona, the GPS said to take a right and after I did, I was in on a desert road that narrowed to about 10 feet wide towing a 27 foot trailer. I got some backing practice that day. The second was on a highway between Point Arena, CA and Boonville. The road name was Mountain View Road, I think. Well, about 200 yards onto this road it says vehicles with trailers not recomended. A bit too late. It didn't look all that bad, so I proceded onward since most of the road signs aren't really that accurate. It had 12%+ grades, was thirty miles long, and took over three hours to negociate. Nice road, one lane over much of it, hairpin ess turns, and did I mention the logging trucks? Along the side of the road also had some wrecked trailers that apparently didn't make it. I did mention the logging trucks, right?
Going through Yosemite pulling a 33.5' fifth wheel. GPS shows nice shortcuts, etc. and you can program it for certain situations. A rule of thumb, call ahead, especially in the mountains and before encountering winding roads. We called ahead, got information that cost about 70 more miles but it was much safer. mk
We had three mishaps with our Mio GPS (NEVER buy the cheap GPS) : The first was near Galena, Illinois, on our way to a COE campground on the Mississippi. The most "direct route" took us down a narrow back country road which mutated into a rutted gravel road which ran along a steep ravine, with washouts at the switchback curves. We were towing our 26' Travel Trailer. It ended up at a narrow underpass with a VERY low overhead, we made it but anyone with a 5th wheel would not have. The second time was in Hot Springs, Arkansas on our way to Lake Quachita State Park. We ended up in a rural residential neighborhood. The road begin to deteriorate and just as I was about to start looking for a turn-around spot we rounded a 90 degree curve and there was a stream running across the road!. I couldn't back up, couldn't turn around, the only choice was to throw it in 4wd and hope for the best. The water was up over the hubs but we powered through. The third time was the best. Somewhere in Kentucky the GPS told us to turn right which we did and ended up in a VERY exclusive gated community of million dollar homes. The guard at the gate didn't want to let us in but there was no way to turn around and he had no choice. We cruised in and finally found a cul de sac to turn around in. We passed several Mercedes, Porsches and Jaguars on the way out. We felt very out of place. I hardly ever use Mr Mio anymore, the technology has a LONG way to go.
QUOTE(baraff @ Nov 23 2008, 11:25 PM) [snapback]14085[/snapback] The third time was the best. Somewhere in Kentucky the GPS told us to turn right which we did and ended up in a VERY exclusive gated community of million dollar homes. The guard at the gate didn't want to let us in but there was no way to turn around and he had no choice. We cruised in and finally found a cul de sac to turn around in. We passed several Mercedes, Porsches and Jaguars on the way out. We felt very out of place. :lol: What would have made it better is if you had a musical horn like the Gornikes (sp?) or Dukes of Hazard - just to alert everybody to look out for the trailer in their neighborhood :lol:
We just went from Yuma AZ to Fountain of Youth Spa in Niland CA. My Magellan GPS (Meg) sent us down miles of dirt road, then announced we had arrived. It was the middle of the deset with nothing around. Not even the restaurant, the GSP claimed was there. Good thing the cell phone worked for directions from there. When we left there we punched in Portland OR. She sent us west on I-10 which was right, then turn right on a highway west of Palm Springs for 5 miles, then make a legal u-turn and end up back at the I-10 where we turned off. Good thing fuel cost less now, for all the extra running around Meg sends us.
I am a park owner, and I have detailed directions and GPS coordinates posted on my website. Nevertheless, a couple of months ago I received a frantic call from a guest who had reserved a site. They were to be a late check-in. Around 9:30 pm they called to tell me they were lost AND trapped in their RV. Following the GPS led them down the wrong road and when they tried to turn the motorhome around in the dark, one wheel left the road and they almost turned over into a deep drainage ditch. The door was jammed in the dirt so they couldn't get out. A local resident found them before I did and called 911. We had two firetrucks, two police cars, an ambulance and wrecker called to rescue them. By the way, they were seniors and new to RVing. What a way to start. Thankfully, they were fine and we escorted them to a site and backed them in around 1 am. The motorhome suffered minor damage, mainly to the doorstep. I'm sure they are still entertaining folks around the campfire with this story, but it could have been a disaster. The basic problem with GPS, Google, Mapquest, etc is the data they are using is just too old. I live in a subdivision that was an empty field for as long as anyone remembers. 50 years ago it was a grass landing strip for planes. GPS shows it to be an "Airport". The couple who got lost were being directed down a road that does not exist except in the databases used by mapping programs. I have contacted as many of these data providers as I possibly can, using their procedures for correcting inaccuracies, all to no avail. It's no wonder that you have to "sign" a release form every time you turn on your GPS. Additionally, I am prevented from providing adequate signage by strict laws limiting advertising on state highways.
When we were scouting out the cg where we are staying for the winter, we initally phoned, got the address and did a Yahoo map. I'm glad we didn't have the fifth wheel behind us as we were on dirt roads in the desert. (We'd parked the fiver at another rv park in order to do our scouting for a better place.) We got so lost, so we phoned and were told to park at a cross street, he'd find us and lead us to the park. He did and we discovered a wonderful place. He told us that maps that use gps always mess people up. He said folks have this problem all the time. This is the first time a Yahoo map has mislead us. B)
We were leaving Campus RV park outside of Kansas City heading towards Nebraska. The GPS sent us a different way out since we were heading in a different direction. About 3 miles into our trip we encountered a bridge with only 12 feet of clearance. I was in my truck with a 38 foot 5th wheel and my dad was following in his motorhome. We were in the process of turning around in a 4 lane road when a nice gentleman stopped and gave us another route. He was driving a dually with a 5th wheel hitch. GPS was set with truck/bus setting.
I took a short trip this last weekend, and my GPS led me to a "dead end" street and expected me to continue through! I had to back out of it. I hate backing up in an RV! JJ
I've had my Garmin for two years and always have it with me, whether in the motorhome or the car. I consider it indispensible in the RV, especially for the text-to-voice directions. BUT I quickly learned to study my route options on a good ol' map first and to NOT rely solely on Garmin's ability to make the best selection. So far it hasn't lead me into any hair-raising surprises as others here have mentioned. Regardless, I've unhooked/rehooked my toad on more than one occassion so I could turn around to get out of a bind. All in all, I love GPS technology and use mine a lot.
I have used gps systems since car manufacturers started to offer them as ridiculously priced options and, for the most part, have had great success with them. Most of the time when I second guess the machine I am wrong. One time, though, I wish I had paid attention. I had called a campground in Tennessee for a reservation and the clerk had mentioned that I should take the 2nd turn onto ***** road (don't remember the name). GPS told me to turn at the 1st turn and I took it. I was in a 35 foot mh with a towd - just me and the two dogs. Wife was to join us the next day. By taking the first turn I ended up on a very narrow Tennessee road barely wide enough to travel and came across a series of turns that I could not make with the towd attached. Well, the dogs do not drive worth a darn and I did not want to back the towd up and then walk back and back the mh up. I ended up disconnecting the towd, driving the mh forward, walking back for the car, etc, etc, etc. Had three turns to navigate over about 3 miles. Took me most of the afternoon but finally got to a point (where the campground had told me to turn) where I could hook the towd back up and continue. I still depend on the GPS - I just double check, especially where local roads are involved.BTW, dogs never told on me and DW still has no idea what I did.
Joez, ok, your experience just topped mine (which was going up a steep dead end road, and having to back all the way down and go around a curve...) JJ
ha, ha, ha and I thought I was the inept one not being able to use the GPS; off course I learned the basic at my own expense. the modern GPS provide certain facilities and handicap at the same time, I have a Magellan Crossover that gives me the option in a trip to take the shortest road or the fastest road or the one with no pay toll or the one with mainly highways. these options cannot be used in combination, therefore, you have to choose what you consider most appropriate for your trip, namely, if you are travelling with a Motor Home or a 5th W., you better chose the highway. I wish to warn you about the shortest rout, please, please, DO NOT choose this option UNLESS you know the route in advance because the GPS will take you on the shortest way between the points regardless of type terrene. I had this experience once and fortunately I was travel with the truck only and I saved most likely 10 - 15 miles of road but I had to go through paths in bushes and at the end of it I had to cut down a lock since the access to the main road was barred by a gate and I did not have the option to turn around since the path was barely the size of my truck.
Galli, BEEN THERE! "shortest" sometimes is the shortest mileage wise, but takes you another half hour longer to get there. JJ
QUOTE(Galli @ Apr 5 2009, 10:18 AM) [snapback]15743[/snapback] ha, ha, ha and I thought I was the inept one not being able to use the GPS; off course I learned the basic at my own expense. the modern GPS provide certain facilities and handicap at the same time, I have a Magellan Crossover that gives me the option in a trip to take the shortest road or the fastest road or the one with no pay toll or the one with mainly highways. these options cannot be used in combination, therefore, you have to choose what you consider most appropriate for your trip, namely, if you are travelling with a Motor Home or a 5th W., you better chose the highway. I wish to warn you about the shortest rout, please, please, DO NOT choose this option UNLESS you know the route in advance because the GPS will take you on the shortest way between the points regardless of type terrene. I had this experience once and fortunately I was travel with the truck only and I saved most likely 10 - 15 miles of road but I had to go through paths in bushes and at the end of it I had to cut down a lock since the access to the main road was barred by a gate and I did not have the option to turn around since the path was barely the size of my truck. I still remember the good time when we had to look at the map and use our brain to decide where to go and how to get there. Ta, ta Galli
Had another GPS issue a couple days ago. I was driving through Gallup, New Mexico and wanted to get back on the freeway. Magellan said, "freeway entrance on the right." Normally, those kinds of "on ramps" are on the right. So, I moved to the right lane. WRONG! Entrance ramp was on the left and it was a cloverleaf! Oops, too late, can't move over. Had to go around the block, and the block I went around had very narrow roads. Yikes. JJ
